#63 Boston College Eagles: College Football 77 in 77

What’s the deal with the hype surrounding Boston College Eagles quarterback Chase Rettig? Sure, he’s got a big arm and some potential, but what has he actually done in college football? Seriously, he hasn’t really accomplished anything at Chestnut Hill. Perhaps he gets hype because he throws for the school that produced Glenn Foley, Doug Flutie and Matt Ryan?

BC really is more O Line U. than it is a cradle of QBs. But this year they have to replace more starters than usual in the big uglies up front. It also might mark the swan song of coach Frank Spaziani.

2011 was: a step backward; they finished 4-8, their first losing year in 12 seasons. They finished with a pretty bad showing in every major important category: offense, defense, pass defense etc. Their offense was especially atrocious, 112th in scoring, and overall. Again why are people so high on Rettig? Cuz most ACC signal callers are bad? Remember Chase had the school’s all time leading rusher Montel Harris to work with, and the offense was still awful.

2012 will go smoothly if: The offense wakes up finally. They could use a real go to receiver in addition to all the OL starters that need to be replaced. A talented group returns on defense with 7 starters, and some of them will be replaced with better talent. Defense rules at the heights because the offense will be bad again. Especially since they have to replace Harris who was kicked off the team for violation of team rules. You know he must have really done something bad.

2012 will be rough if: This team hung it’s hat on defense last year and well the running game. and passing game were both bad. There’s new starters to break in at tailback and all over the OL but there is athleticism and depth, if not star power. Defense looks stout again. Or at least better. What will Rettig work with? When will he live up to the hype? How will the team replace all those starters at LB? They certainly won’t have anything like Luke Kuechly who wisely left early for the NFL Draft. He only won the Lombardi and Butkus Awards last season.

BMOCs: RB Andrew Williams MLB Kevin Pierre-Louis, who is the team’s best player, CB Albert Louis-Jean Jr. is a shut down corner

Bottom Line: There are a plenty of questions on both sides of the ball, so reaching a bowl is a probably not going to happen. They’ve scored 19 points or less in 11 of their last 16 conference games, and there’s no reaosn to believe the O is going to just ameliorate itself this season. And another losing year might be enough to get Spaziani canned.

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB)You should too